NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: February 26, 2016
FROM: Wild Honey
CONTACT:
Dick Kronick
612.849.1605 / wildhoneyjazz@gmail.com
Wild Honey
Wild Honey plays classic funk and rock from the likes of Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Steely Dan -- along with the band’s original songs. The band is composed of leader/arranger/keyboardist/vocalist Cheri Sykes; dynamic lead vocalist Barbara Meyer, guitarist/vocalist Ralph Hintz, bassist Richard Kronick, and drummer Jeff Vigness.
Wild Honey aims not only to entertain but to inspire. The band uplifts every audience with musical messages of joy and hope. As lead vocalist Barbara Meyer says, “The music we create reaches deeper inside. We have a spiritual feeling about our music — but there’s no preaching. We reach each person’s spirit through our music.”
Wild Honey was formed in 1998 as a Sunday morning church band. They have released CDs in 2005, 2011, and 2016. They have been featured on Twin Cities jazz radio station KBEM and have appeared on KARE-11 television's "Minnesota Showcase."
Biographical information:
Cheri Sykes -- leader, arranger, keyboards, vocals. Cheri does the band’s musical arrangements and is its major domo and driving force. She’s also a ferocious keyboard soloist! Cheri is especially proud that Garrison Keillor has chosen her as his on-call pianist for parties hosted in his St. Paul home. She teaches piano and guitar to dozens of students in her studio in Osseo, Minnesota.
Barbara Meyer -- lead vocals, percussion. When you hear Barbara sing, you’ll understand right away that some of her major influences are Dinah Washington, Billie Holiday, and Carole King. Barbara has Dinah’s vocal range, Billie’s emotional range, and Carole’s confidence -- a very special blend. Barbara can sing anything -- gospel, standards, funk, the blues, Broadway, or you name it! She also leads her own band and is a member of a Twin Cities cabaret singers’ group. As a musician, Barbara has toured North America, Latin America, Europe, and Korea. She also leads art and architecture tours in North America and Europe for Road Scholar, an educational travel organization.
Ralph Hintz -- guitar, vocals. Ralph has been with Wild Honey from its inception in ’98. He’s also been a member of The Castaways for about 30 years. Remember “Liar, Liar,” their international hit from the 60s? Ralph is an incredibly versatile guitarist. Jazz, rock, blues, funk -- he’s got all those chops and more. One of his most exciting musical moments was when the Castaways opened for the legendary Bo Diddley and he got to hang with Bo backstage.
Dick Kronick -- upright and electric bass. With years of study in both orchestral string bass and jazz bass, Dick keeps the lower end of Wild Honey’s musical range in excellent working order. He also fronts his own jazz ensemble, The Kronick Quintet. Dick will never forget the thrill of sitting in with the legendary Muddy Waters Band in 1969 at the Cozy Bar, then a hot spot in North Minneapolis’s African American club scene. Dick is also a freelance writer and an architectural historian who leads architecture tours worldwide.
Jeff Vigness -- drums and percussion. In 2013, Jeff published two books: How to Play in a Rock or Jazz Band -- a natural result of his two music degrees and many years of performing -- and Jazz Combo Collection, Volume 1, which contains 21 of his own compositions. In addition to Wild Honey, Jeff is a member of the Rochester Minnesota Symphony Orchestra. Among his musical influences, he lists Bruce Springsteen, The Police … and Gustav Mahler! Jeff is a marathon runner and major sports fan who insisted that his bio must include this quote: “There ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter.”
